Kazakhstan clinch Asian Rugby Title with a 24-17 win over Sri Lanka

By Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Kazakhstan enjoyed its finest moment on the rugby field when they won the Singer Rugby Asiad with a hard fought 24 points (3 tries, 3 penalties) to 17 (1 try, 4 penalties) win over a gallant Sri Lanka outfit at CR and FC grounds, Longden Place after leading 16-3 at the breather.

The central Asian nation which began playing in the Asian Rugby Championships in 1998 were propelled to victory by their power-packed forwards who completely outplayed their counterparts in the loose. Number eight Timur Mashurov was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and was ably supported by Rudoy Anton, Salovier Mikhael Antonov Yevginiy, Shakurov Yevgeniy and Charnykh Vladinir as the Kazakhstan 'eight' reigned supreme in the loose.

They also had a large share of possession with hooker Tuanchanka Dimitry getting the batter of his vis-a-vis Achala Perera in the set scrums and the trio of Shekvrov, Inachenka and skipper Mashurov towering above the rest in the line outs. Scrum half Seshin Yevgeniy too had a great game dishing out some accurate passes while his breaks on the blind side had the Sri Lanka defence in disarray. Full back Lifentov Maxim also had an excellent game with his safe collections and booming kicks to touch and often joined the line to form the overlap.

Starved of possession the Sri Lankan three quarters could not make much headway. Wingers Sanjetra Jayasinghe and Lakala Perera of whom much was expected were kept in cold storage being starved of possession.

But the Lankans put up a rock hard defence and brought down the bigger made Kazakhstanis with some-bone crunching tackles. No. 8 Dushanth Lewke, flanker Bisthamin, lock forward Karthalis, fly half Saliya Kumara and ccntre Avantha Hettiarachchi stord out with some fierce tackling to keep the marcuding Kazakhastans forwards at bay.

Kazakhastan surged into the lead in the 9th minute when off a scrum in the Sri Lanka '25' scrum half Seshin Yevginiy chip kicked for winger Charkashin Denis who followed it to collect the ball and fall over for an unconverted try by the right corner flag. Three minutes later Sri Lanka reduced the deficit when Senthil Kumar fired across a 40 metre penalty.

In the 22nd minute Kazakhstan increased their load when full back Liftontov Maxim put over a 20 metre penalty to make it 8-3. Eight minutes later off a three quarter more scrum half Seshin Yevginiy kicked ahead and winger Charkashin Denis who followed it collected the ball and scored by the right corner flag. Maxim missed the conversion (Kazakhstan 13.3).

In the 36th minute Lifontov Maxim made no mistake with a 20-metre penalty to make it 16-3 at lemons. In the 9th minute after resumption Sri Lanka fly half Saliya Kumara made a break from mid field and sped over 35 metres but was brought down with a dangerous tackle by flanker Solovier Mikhael who was sent to the sin bin and the penalty awarded to Sri Lanka from 30 metres was put over by Amjad Buksh to make it 16-6. In the 18th minute of the second half full back Lifontov Maxim fired across a 40 metre penalty (Kazakhstan 19-6).

Sri Lanka fought back and reduced the deficit when Amjad Buksh put over two penalties from 40 metres and 30 metres respectively to make in 19-12. In the 36th minute Kazakhstan put the issue beyond doubt when off a second phase move in the Sri Lanka '25' fly half Krasner Anatoly slung out a pass to full back Lintontov Maxim who slipped out a pass centre Akymbekov Doulet who fell over by the right corner flag for an unconverted try to make in 24-12.

Then in injury time Sri Lanka scored a superb try when Amjad Buksh took a short lap in the Kazakstan 25 and shift out a pass to fly half Saliya Kumara who burst through to rouch down mid right Buksh missed the conversion and Kazakhastan ran out winners by 24 points to 17 over a gallant Sri Lanka outfit.

Referee Tony Wolfe of Arabian Gulf.

China clinched the plate championship by beating Chinese Taipei by 28 points to 22 after trailing 10 - 17 at half time while Thailand bagged the Bawl Championship by beating Malaysia by 44-7 after leading 27-7 at the breather.